Kim Byung-mo, 81, a native of what is now North Korea, has yearned to visit his hometown of Jinnampo on the west coast to reunite with his mother and younger sister he has not seen since he fled to the South in 1950.

It is a dream unlikely to come true anytime soon amid frosty inter-Korean relations. But in a virtual world, Kim can visit there and see blooming flowers, clear water and the beautiful scenery deeply ingrained in his memory, thanks to a metaverse project by the unification ministry.

Based on the memories of three members of separated families -- respectively hailing from Jinnampo, Pyongyang and Hamhung in North Korea -- and available documents and photos, the National Institute for Unification Education created a metaverse world resembling the North Korean cities.

This screenshot from a video provided by the National Institute for Unification Education shows Kim Byung-mo visiting his hometown in North Korea in a metaverse world. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

This screenshot from a video provided by the National Institute for Unification Education shows Kim Byung-mo visiting his hometown in North Korea in a metaverse world. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The recreated venues range from the most mundane places, like a hill nestled behind a childhood home, town church and dancing school, to historic places, such as the Taedong River railway bridge that had been destroyed during the 1950-53 Korean War.

Users who access the virtual world via the online platform Roblox can visit the virtual venues as well as chat with other users.

To engage younger users and raise their awareness on reunification, the team who oversaw the project built mini games that can be played in the virtual world -- such as collecting food for rabbits and crossing the Taedong River by a wooden boat.

"Creating a metaverse world for separated families is in a way an attempt to overcome the current deadlock through technology at a time when North Korea remains unresponsive to requests for reunions," an official at the National Institute for Unification Education, affiliated with the unification ministry, said.

Inter-Korean reunion events have been suspended amid frosty inter-Korean relations following the no-deal summit between the North and the United States in Hanoi in early 2019.

Approximately 16,000 elderly South Koreans are presumed to have died over the past five years while awaiting reunions with family members in North Korea, according to ministry data.

Source: Yonhap News Agency